The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1887-01-07

lell-crowncd hat Of rough, gray lc.,,.'
Though, his gait was stumbling, and hs ,,'.'.
snay feet rcsc and fell in the most awI,,, "e
way, he Went over the ground with a sv;r.
ness that made it rather doubtful wbo,,''-
Joe was gaining OH him at all. Eut tho ,".
ter was encouraged by the signs of lis cL,Sa..
distress. First tho bcll-crownc.l hat naw "ss
and rolled behind, and Joe could NOT rns;'t
the temptation to give it Il kick which s,nt :.
spinning into clunp OF honcysucklcs. rLo,'
the Confederate flung off havcrs;,cl;. who.a
! tapping intcrfered with his speed. and t,,;o
was followed by cluln>ily constructed c..,,.
cartccn Next followed the fuytivc.s l',t
loaded down with an antique cartridge l,,r
savage knife made from a IT,. and han1ln,
will, b1ckhorn, and u fierce boxing horsa
pist ol with flint lock.
| II seemed to he busin' ur ,nusvun, =,
revolutionary relics" said Joo aftcrwaJ ~
describing tho incident "Thc Teller ,ru,,aa
kce,sakcs from his forrfa crs like n h;.a
motin' it's feathers on a Windy day. begun
to think that if I KEEP up IT, -hase purity SOON
he'd begin to she'd Conti tai money md
| knee breecbes."
/, The fugitive turned off to the right into
: narrow path that wound through the laure,
thickets. Joe followed with all tho cncrcv
that remained in him. confident that a short
distance more would bring him so close to his
game that he could force his surrender bv
threat of bayoneting. Hccaught up to within
rod of the Confederate, ar was already
forshortening his gun for a 4urgc in case Of
refusal to surrender on dcmarf when he wos
amazed to see the Confedera vhirl aroma,
level his gun at him, and olu.. his surrender
Joe was so astonishcd tibet he stumbled. fc,l
forward and dropped his gun. As he raised
his eyes he saw three or four other Confetler-
ates step out from behind rock. and levc,
their guns upon him with an expression Of
bloodth,rstiness that seemed simply ficndisb.
Then it flashed upo, him how far AWAY he
was from oil his comrades, and that the labv.
: rinth of laurel made them even much NOR,
remote With this realization come the ia.
voluntary groan:
20, Lordy! it's all up with me. I am
goner, sure!'
lis courage did not oozc out of his fingers.
like the historic Dob Acres; it vanished like
gas from q rent balloon. He claspcd his
hands and tried to think of some prayer.
"Now lay me-" he rurn1urcd.
"Shan't we shoot the var,nint!' said one of
the Co:lfc crates, with IL motion of his gun in
harmony with that idea.
so, mistcr-ln;ster-c,o mister, don't
harm to YOU"
avail, yc acted monty quaro for man that
didn't mean NO harm." said the pursued man,
reyaining his breath with some difficulty.
"A-chasin' me down with tibet ar prod ON yer
gun, an q thrcatenin' to stick it inter me at
every jump Only wanted ter see ME run.
did yer:'
10, mister, I only done it because wuz
ordered To- 7 cOr1Int holm ,,,xyco1e.
couldn't
"Whar'; tho ossifers tibet wuz a-orlcrin'
yc: Whar's tho captins that wuz putin W
up ter hit: Thar want no one in mile of
yc. Guess we'd better shoot ye."
Again Joe raised his voice in abject up
peal for mercy. There was nothing he was
not willing to promise if his lifc were only
spared.
"Wouhlu't hit be better ter baynct HING
suggested ono of the Confederates, entirely
ui:.novet, as his comrades were, by Jocs
pitcous plcat!ngs. "Ef We so ter shootin'
round ycre hitll likely bring the Yankees
right ontcr u.s."
II spet hit would be better ter take him
back little ways, any way" said the man
whom, Joe had pursued. "Pick up his gun
thar, Eph. Come along, you, an he monty
peart about hit, fur were in u powerful bad
frame o mind ter be fooled with. l wouldn't
GIN ti-peuny-bit fnr all yer blue.bcllicd
iltes worth. The boys ar jest pizen mad
from SEEM so many o thar kin and folks
Killed ny yer crowd O thievin' Hcssans."
Grateful for even u monlentary respite.
Joe rose from his knees with alacrity aud
humhiy followed one of the Conlc,lcrates
along the path. The others strobe behind.
and occasionally spurlel him into Il more
"O-ouyl, mister, don't do that! Don't,
please. You don't know how it hurts.
amt got no ri'!noccls's skin to stand such jabs
as that That come purity nigh gon' clean
through to my heart"
"sAcct ahca,l' faster, then, or the next
punchi! - right smack through yc, fur
sartn F. yer skins so tender, what arc yc
dom i'll the a,Tny.'
they ciM,nsl the mountain lal,orG.lSy
ana started down on the other side Aln.'t
Ea.a"ay In the descent they came upon Il de-
sftest canlil standing, near he side OF tho road.
ny the Lord Hurry said one of the Con
l""flt1s, Il IN Almost 'lono clean gin ont SO
l am. I'M t:'c'l"r nor II ciaybal!s llcss ar:er
Il nara u"y l'owin an I'm ez dry cz a lime
KIN motion that we stop yerc an take Il
res. We Kin put our Nanls in the h,"se
mar and keep him. / wonder whar the spring
Is met the folks tibet lived yere got thar water
from!"
Leaving one of the men to guard the pris-
oher, the rest of the Confe,lerates started for
Inc hollow in search Of water to cool their
burning thirst
they had gained such distance from the
scene OF the fight, and were in sucl, an out-of-
lnc-way place, that the thought of being
oVerI'Gcn did not oltrutlc itself for an in
'tant' either upon their minds or Jocs
tut as they came hack up tho hill, witha